diff --git a/src/tests/annotate.t b/src/tests/annotate.t
index 2f572b05b..886d275db 100755
--- a/src/tests/annotate.t
+++ b/src/tests/annotate.t
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ qx{../task rc:annotate.rc add two};
 qx{../task rc:annotate.rc add three};
 qx{../task rc:annotate.rc add four};
 qx{../task rc:annotate.rc annotate 1 foo1};
+diag ("5 second delay");
 sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:annotate.rc annotate 1 foo2};
 sleep 1;
diff --git a/src/tests/bug.438.t b/src/tests/bug.438.t
index 6fa97dfc8..e8f215b06 100755
--- a/src/tests/bug.438.t
+++ b/src/tests/bug.438.t
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'bug.rc')
 
 # Ensure the two tasks have a 1 second delta in entry.
 qx{../task rc:bug.rc add older};
+diag ("1 second delay");
 sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:bug.rc add newer};
 
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ like ($output, qr/newer.+older/ms, 'sort:entry- -> newer older');
 
 # Ensure the two tasks have a 1 second delta in start.
 qx{../task rc:bug.rc start 1};
+diag ("1 second delay");
 sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:bug.rc start 2};
 
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ like ($output, qr/newer.+older/ms, 'sort:start- -> newer older');
 
 # Ensure the two tasks have a 1 second delta in end.
 qx{../task rc:bug.rc done 1};
+diag ("1 second delay");
 sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:bug.rc done 2};
 
diff --git a/src/tests/bug.hasnt.t b/src/tests/bug.hasnt.t
index 2a8b3da78..66032770f 100755
--- a/src/tests/bug.hasnt.t
+++ b/src/tests/bug.hasnt.t
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc 2 annotate bar};
 # 3
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc add foo};
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc 3 annotate bar};
-sleep 2;
+diag ("3 second delay");
+sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc 3 annotate baz};
 
 # 4
@@ -63,13 +64,13 @@ qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc 5 annotate foo};
 # 6
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc add bar};
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc 6 annotate foo};
-sleep 2;
+sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc 6 annotate baz};
 
 #7
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc add one};
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc 7 annotate two};
-sleep 2;
+sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc 7 annotate three};
 
 my $output = qx{../task rc:hasnt.rc ls description.has:foo};
diff --git a/src/tests/denotate.t b/src/tests/denotate.t
index 7cfecff7c..bb12a6b66 100755
--- a/src/tests/denotate.t
+++ b/src/tests/denotate.t
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'denotate.rc')
 # Add four tasks, annotate one three times, one twice, one just once and one none.
 qx{../task rc:denotate.rc add one};
 qx{../task rc:denotate.rc annotate 1 Ernie};
+diag ("6 second delay");
 sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:denotate.rc annotate 1 Bert};
 sleep 1;
diff --git a/src/tests/hook.format-age.t b/src/tests/hook.format-age.t
index b1e0df4e0..74e812a48 100755
--- a/src/tests/hook.format-age.t
+++ b/src/tests/hook.format-age.t
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ my $output = qx{../task rc:hook.rc version};
 if ($output =~ /PUC-Rio/)
 {
   qx{../task rc:hook.rc add foo};
+  diag ("1 second delay");
   sleep 1;
   $output = qx{../task rc:hook.rc list};
 
diff --git a/src/tests/hook.format-age_compact.t b/src/tests/hook.format-age_compact.t
index 409970f13..aba054ea1 100755
--- a/src/tests/hook.format-age_compact.t
+++ b/src/tests/hook.format-age_compact.t
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ my $output = qx{../task rc:hook.rc version};
 if ($output =~ /PUC-Rio/)
 {
   qx{../task rc:hook.rc add foo};
+  diag ("1 second delay");
   sleep 1;
   $output = qx{../task rc:hook.rc list};
 
diff --git a/src/tests/merge.t b/src/tests/merge.t
index 31b56c07e..2e1511d92 100755
--- a/src/tests/merge.t
+++ b/src/tests/merge.t
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'remote.rc')
 
 # Create some basic tasks on both sides
 qx{../task rc:local.rc add left_modified};
+diag ("25 second delay");
 sleep(1);
 qx{../task rc:local.rc add right_modified};
 sleep(1);
diff --git a/src/tests/oldest.t b/src/tests/oldest.t
index fb4973293..b8449b804 100755
--- a/src/tests/oldest.t
+++ b/src/tests/oldest.t
@@ -39,10 +39,13 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'oldest.rc')
 }
 
 # Add 11 tasks.  Oldest should show 1-10, newest should show 2-11.
-diag ("Adding 3 tasks - takes 2 seconds");
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add one; sleep 1};
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add two; sleep 1};
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add three; sleep 1};
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add one};
+diag ("3 second delay");
+sleep 1;
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add two};
+sleep 1;
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add three};
+sleep 1;
 my $output = qx{../task rc:oldest.rc oldest};
 like ($output, qr/one/,               'oldest: one');
 like ($output, qr/two/,               'oldest: two');
@@ -55,14 +58,21 @@ like ($output, qr/two/,               'newest: two');
 like ($output, qr/one/,               'newest: one');
 like ($output, qr/three.*two.*one/ms, 'newest: sort');
 
-diag ("Adding 8 tasks - takes 7 seconds");
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add four; sleep 1};
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add five; sleep 1};
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add six; sleep 1};
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add seven; sleep 1};
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add eight; sleep 1};
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add nine; sleep 1};
-qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add ten; sleep 1};
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add four};
+diag ("7 second delay");
+sleep 1;
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add five};
+sleep 1;
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add six};
+sleep 1;
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add seven};
+sleep 1;
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add eight};
+sleep 1;
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add nine};
+sleep 1;
+qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add ten};
+sleep 1;
 qx{../task rc:oldest.rc add eleven};
 
 $output = qx{../task rc:oldest.rc oldest};
diff --git a/src/tests/wait.t b/src/tests/wait.t
index 2f2ef76f5..8fed4753c 100755
--- a/src/tests/wait.t
+++ b/src/tests/wait.t
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ my $output = qx{../task rc:wait.rc ls};
 like ($output, qr/nowait/ms, 'non-waiting task visible');
 unlike ($output, qr/yeswait/ms, 'waiting task invisible');
 
+diag ("3 second delay");
 sleep 3;
 
 $output = qx{../task rc:wait.rc ls};
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ $output = qx{../task rc:wait.rc ls};
 like ($output, qr/nowait/ms, 'non-waiting task visible');
 unlike ($output, qr/yeswait/ms, 'waiting task invisible');
 
+diag ("3 second delay");
 sleep 3;
 
 $output = qx{../task rc:wait.rc ls};